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Associate Research Advisory Director

Yazwand
Palanichamy

Delivering actionable insights and tailored research solutions to empower C-suite leaders in making more strategic, timely, and informed decisions across the IT, Management Consulting, and Business Management professions

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Yazwand
Palanichamy

I am a results-oriented Associate Research Director with several years of experience in IT research, business analysis, project management, and advisory services. My career has focused on delivering actionable insights that help business leaders make informed decisions. I have a proven track record of collaborating with C-suite executives to navigate complex business challenges, optimize technology procurement, and drive measurable process improvement initiatives.


In my current role at Info-Tech Research Group, I lead high-profile projects related to vendor technology market research and software procurement consulting. I specialize in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) technologies, customer experience (CX) platforms, and other critical enterprise solutions. My industry experience spans sectors such as oil & gas, banking, higher education, IT research and advisory, and project management.

About My Experience

My
Professional Journey

As an Associate Research Director, I provide end-to-end leadership on research and advisory projects, guiding teams and clients through complex vendor technology research and procurement consulting processes. I manage a team of 4-5 junior research analysts and have delivered advisory services to high-profile clients, including C-suite executives from various industries.

  • Led 150+ research engagements with an average CSAT/NPS score of 9.48/10.
  • Developed insights for client projects, including ESG vendor solutions and CX-enabling technologies.
  • Guided junior analysts on market research strategies and software procurement methodologies.

In this role, I focused on advising clients on vendor selection and technology procurement. I developed custom market research reports for large B2B enterprises across various industries, saving clients over $120,000 CAD.

  • Balanced against a set of user story requirements, I research and develop custom vendor market analysis reports for B2B enterprise organizations operating across varying industry verticals (e.g., Higher Education, Oil and Gas, Banking, Government Agencies, etc).

 

  • Nominated for several key X-Factor award recognitions for contributions toward quality of research and leading numerous successful client consulting projects and research advisory engagements.

 

  • Supported Info-Tech clients with strategic advisement on ‘Software-Selection-as-a-Service’ (SSaaS) engagements to help expedite their technology vendor sourcing processes and streamline their procurement of (primarily) non-enterprise application software (e.g., event management software, IT Service Management applications). Saved clients (across multiple industries) approximately $120, 288 (CAD) in total dollar impact saved.
  • Developed client advisory reports focused on software selection guides for various CRM, Martech, and other customer experience-focused technologies.

 

  • Provided highly impactful client advisory sessions to (primarily) C-suite level clientele on general software selection strategies and developed research blueprints for various hot topics in IT advisory. For instance, a market trends report on environmental social governance (ESG) reporting guidelines.

 

  • Supported the development of various research projects and assisted in several highly impactful vendor outreach campaigns. Participated in several analyst vendor briefings across various software category areas (e.g., contact center as a service, geographic information systems, CX/Martech vendor briefings, etc).
  • Identified key operability and business process improvement issues within Coca-Cola’s Verizon Connect FMS (Fleet Management Software), as a means to improve the logistical planning and operational efficiency surrounding the delivery and maintenance of Coca-Cola Merchandise.

 

  • Supported business process improvement initiatives from initiation through completion. Helped assess key business process models, gathered key business requirement definitions, formulated cost estimations, and devised technological enterprise architecture roadmaps in support of all stages (Concept, Definition, Planning, and Execution) of the project.

 

  •  Participated in numerous project demo sessions with 5 Fleet Management consultant companies to determine the most feasible functional features to implement within Coca-Cola’s FMS platform (i.e., user group creation, use of Key-Performance Indicators for drivers safety metrics, setup of GEO-Fencing parameters (Predefined & Dynamic, etc).

 

  •  Successfully analyzed proposed FMS vendors and provided a final recommendation (i.e., Azuga FMS) using a variety of systematic decision-making project management approaches (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, requirements matrix, etc).
  • Tested and validated new developments concerning the operation and use of client-facing and back-end banking applications (e.g., Fiserv DNA Core, Dynatrace). Prepared and ensured the transfer, the development of knowledge, and the provisioning of training to clients and banking personnel.

 

  • Worked with various (Information Technology Service Management) ITSM tools (e.g., Salesforce Service Cloud, BMC Remedyforce) to monitor status updates on incident support tickets and escalated high-priority incident management requests as required. Professionally resolved an average of 20-30 incident requests on a weekly basis.

 

  • Worked with on average (3-5) quality assurance (QA) analysts on a weekly basis to assist with testing and monitoring operational issues on core banking systems.

 

  • Analyzed impacts on applications and issued recommendations to secure the IT environment for various clients and thereby prevented problems with troubleshooting.
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About My Skills

Education, Skills & Certifications

Professional Scrum Master

(PSM™)

Six Sigma Black Belt

(SSBB)

M.Sc in Management
Studies

(Specialization in IT
Management)

M.Sc in Management Studies

(Specialization in IT Management)

B.Comm in Business
Technology

Management

B.Comm in Business Technology

Management

IT Research and Advisory Services

Project Management and Agile Methodologies

Vendor Market Research and Software Procurement

Data Analysis & Visualization (Tools: Power BI, Excel)

Data Analysis & Visualization (Tools: Power BI, Excel)

Business Process Improvement

C-Level Stakeholder Engagement

Latest Work

Key Projects

Challenge

Employees from Harvard Business School’s (HBS’s) ‘Educational and Administrative Technology Services’ Department need to procure a consolidated application to help manage HBS IT’s internal digital case study authoring process.

Solution

I led a market research initiative to identify viable software vendors. We provided a comprehensive vendor analysis and selected the top three candidates, ensuring alignment with HBS’s unique functional/non-functional use case requirements.

Result

HBS renewed and upgraded their service contract, with “Info-Tech Research Group” (ITRG) thus retaining client acquisition growth and sustaining ITRG profitability margins. As a result, increasing HBS initial contractual investment by 80% with ITRG.

HBS Consolidated Vendor.pdf
Custom Vendor Landscape.pdf
Pre Demonstration Harvard Business School.pdf
HBS Requirements Workbook.pdf

Challenge

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) required Info-Tech’s assistance with software procurement advisory support for the selection of a consolidated ‘Business Continuity Management and Planning’ (BCMP) platform.

Solution

  • A fellow colleague and I assisted in this workshop consulting project effort by helping the CDB identify and build out their critical BCMP requirements and use cases via a formalized business impact assessment documentation process.

  • We also helped assist the CDB by doing some market research on the top performing vendors in the BCMP landscape that developed commercial off the shelf (COTS) applications for BCMP software. We presented our final shortlist of BCMP vendors to the CDB team. The market research was custom in nature, based on the CDB team’s unique functional/non-functional use case criteria. As part of the market research activity, we arrived at the following shortlist of BCMP vendors (including but not limited to): Everbridge, MetricStream, Castellan, Infinite Blue, etc.

 

  • Lastly, as part of the workshop, we aided in RFP creation and review for the CDB team by capturing all of the technical business requirements and formal use case details. This RFP was then shared with the final shortlist of BCMP vendors as part of the competitive tendering and bidding process during the formal vendor outreach phase.

Result

The direct outcome of the BCMP software selection workshop consulting project was a success for the CDB team. They received a lot of practical guidance, formal vendor documentation, and market research that greatly helped expedite their internal software procurement process for the new BCMP platform.

Executive Presentation Caribbean Development Bank.pdf

Challenge

The bank’s internal IT infrastructure operations team needed to reassess their vendor investments across their IT infrastructure automation (ITIA) environment, aiming for better efficiency and reduced complexity in their tech stack. The existing process needed clearer methodologies for mapping system interdependencies and optimizing vendor investments.

Solution

I led a virtual consulting workshop designed to guide the bank through a comprehensive application rationalization process. This workshop focused on:

  • Conducting a Business Impact Assessment (BIA) to identify business drivers, opportunities, and risks.
  • Facilitating requirements elicitation sessions and performing in-depth stakeholder analysis.
  • Mapping system dependencies and documenting a detailed risk register.
  • Introducing a high-level system diagramming process to better document how the client visualized application interdependencies within their ITIA environment. Prior to the workshop, no standardized process for this existed.

Result

The workshop delivered substantial value, helping the client save approximately $68,562 USD in operational costs and reducing the time spent on requirements documentation by 10-15 business days. Moreover, the project drove 30% process efficiency improvements in IT operations, contributing to the client’s IT-enabled business transformation efforts.

Following the successful conclusion of the workshop engagement, the client purchased additional workshop credits and also renewed their contractual membership ( i.e., leading to a 3-year contract renewal) with Info-Tech Research Group (ITRG), Thus, increasing the client’s overall account spend with ITRG by $82k (CAD).

Final Executive Presentation Deliverable

Role

Provided advisory support to help clients streamline their software procurement process, saving them significant time and budget.

Result

Achieved approximately $120,288 (CAD) procurement cost savings of approximately  across multiple client’s software procurement ”advisory engagements”.

Sample Publication Work

Selected Publications

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Unearthing trends in environmental science and engineering research: Insights from a probabilistic topic modeling literature analysis

1 October 2021

1 October 2021

Unearthing trends in environmental science and engineering research: Insights from a probabilistic topic modeling literature analysis

A unified framework for effective team formation in social networks

1 September 2021

1 September 2021

A unified framework for effective team formation in social networks

Evaluation of cloud computing risks using an integrated fuzzy-ANP and FMEA approaches

26 January 2023

26 January 2023

Evaluation of cloud computing risks using an integrated fuzzy-ANP and FMEA approaches

Establish a Sustainable ESG Reporting Program

April 2023

April 2023

Establish a Sustainable ESG Reporting Program

Custom Vendor Landscape: Sustainability Reporting Tools

March 2023

March 2023

Custom Vendor Landscape: Sustainability Reporting Tools

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Client & Coworker Testimonials

What Others Say About
Their Experience Working With Me

There were no terrible experiences. Yaz was extremely helpful in enlightening the team and I on sustainability, ESG, SDG and STARS framework which helped us move the project along smoothly

Centennial College

Yazwand led a comprehensive workshop for our IT infrastructure operations team, helping us reassess our tech stack and vendor investments. His methodical approach saved us over $68,000 in “procurement cost savings” and improved business process efficiency by 30%. His insight drove tangible improvements that led us to renew our contract for another three years. Truly exceptional.

Fortune 500 Bank Client (US)

My experience is still ongoing. However, the best parts have been the resources and suggestions given by Yaz. The structure of the process is already reassuring. Still, the additional assistance of the documents, quadrant reports, and one-on-one advice has been vital for the progress of my project. The most complex part has been progressing a project involving stakeholders with different perspectives. Some tools are available to deal with this issue, but overall, it has impacted the project’s velocity. Yaz has been as helpful as he can through these issues, including walking the team through the process to orient them better and provide a conducive environment for requirements gathering.

The American Institute of Architects

Yazwand’s expertise in vendor procurement and market analysis was invaluable. He provided us with a well-researched report, saving us both time and resources in our board management software selection. The result was a $10,000 savings in “software procurement cost savings”, and the process was seamless thanks to his strategic advice.

Canadian Wildlife Federation

Yazwand’s strategic consulting during our telephony software selection was outstanding. He managed the entire process, from business case validation to vendor outreach, ensuring we found the perfect solution. His vendor scorecard templates and in-depth market analysis were particularly valuable, making a complex process simple.

DISH Network L.L.C.

Yazwand played a critical role in helping our team streamline the vendor selection process for a new Provider Data Management solution. His ability to conduct purposeful market research and assist in developing a comprehensive business case for application selection resulted in a 60% improvement in our procurement process, cutting lead time by months and delivering significant procurement cost savings

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

The software selection workshop led by Yazwand was a game-changer. His deep market knowledge and use of Info-Tech’s frameworks enabled us to shortlist vendors that fit our exact needs. Thanks to his guidance, we engaged top vendors efficiently, saving us both time and procurement resources.

Caribbean Development Bank

There were no terrible experiences. Yaz was extremely helpful in enlightening the team and I on sustainability, ESG, SDG and STARS framework which helped us move the project along smoothly

Centennial College

Yazwand led a comprehensive workshop for our IT infrastructure operations team, helping us reassess our tech stack and vendor investments. His methodical approach saved us over $68,000 in “procurement cost savings” and improved business process efficiency by 30%. His insight drove tangible improvements that led us to renew our contract for another three years. Truly exceptional.

Fortune 500 Bank Client (US)

My experience is still ongoing. However, the best parts have been the resources and suggestions given by Yaz. The structure of the process is already reassuring. Still, the additional assistance of the documents, quadrant reports, and one-on-one advice has been vital for the progress of my project. The most complex part has been progressing a project involving stakeholders with different perspectives. Some tools are available to deal with this issue, but overall, it has impacted the project’s velocity. Yaz has been as helpful as he can through these issues, including walking the team through the process to orient them better and provide a conducive environment for requirements gathering.

The American Institute of Architects

Yazwand’s expertise in vendor procurement and market analysis was invaluable. He provided us with a well-researched report, saving us both time and resources in our board management software selection. The result was a $10,000 savings in “software procurement cost savings”, and the process was seamless thanks to his strategic advice.

Canadian Wildlife Federation

Yazwand’s strategic consulting during our telephony software selection was outstanding. He managed the entire process, from business case validation to vendor outreach, ensuring we found the perfect solution. His vendor scorecard templates and in-depth market analysis were particularly valuable, making a complex process simple.

DISH Network L.L.C.

Yazwand played a critical role in helping our team streamline the vendor selection process for a new Provider Data Management solution. His ability to conduct purposeful market research and assist in developing a comprehensive business case for application selection resulted in a 60% improvement in our procurement process, cutting lead time by months and delivering significant procurement cost savings

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

The software selection workshop led by Yazwand was a game-changer. His deep market knowledge and use of Info-Tech’s frameworks enabled us to shortlist vendors that fit our exact needs. Thanks to his guidance, we engaged top vendors efficiently, saving us both time and procurement resources.

Caribbean Development Bank

Let’s Work Together

Ready to explore how I can help your organization with actionable insights? Let’s connect.

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